Love
by Starlight Warrior 1092
Summary: "Love is a serious mental disease."


**Hey everyone! Here's another oneshot, written by yours truely. Anyone like the cover? I drew it myself! I do not own Warriors.**

_"Love is a serious mental disease."_

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My green eyes locked on the pelt of a tomcat. His long, ginger fur was blowing in the slight breeze. His pale blue eyes were closed as he enjoyed the peacefulness of the morning. This wasn't just any tomcat, though. _This_ was Gingerheart. And Gingerheart was the only tomcat I would ever find myself wanting.

I decided that it was now or never. Getting to my paws, I licked my ruffled chest fur. My tongue went over my pale tabby fur, smoothing it down. I inspected the rest of my pelt, and decided that I looked nice. Then I made my way out of the den and over towards Gingerheart.

"Good morning, Gingerheart," I purred, kneading my paws at the ground like it was my mother's belly and I was just a kit at her side.

When Gingerheart turned around, my eyes widened. His pale blue eyes met mine, and I held my breath. Everything around us disappeared, and I found myself lost in those eyes of his. Nothing else in the whole _world_ mattered.

"Good morning, Featherpool," Gingerheart purred, licking my cheek. My heart felt as if it would explode. I loved it when he showed affection for me. I loved it... when he loved me.

"Gingerheart, patrol!" The jealous voice of Spiderfur tore our special moment apart, and Gingerheart sighed. He gave me a sorrowful look as he turned away. Sighing, I watched him pad away over to where Spiderfur, our mouse brained deputy, told him which patrol to go on.

My heart hurt as I watched Gingerheart leave the camp entrance. His flaming pelt was swallowed by the gentle brown of the thorns and brambles. I sighed once more and got to my paws, not before realizing that I had been sitting down.

"What to do?" I asked myself, trying to rid myself of the thought of Gingerheart. Though, there was no _problem_ with us at all. We were from the same clan; he wasn't extremely older than me, since he had become a warrior only three moons before I did.

I looked over at the fresh kill pile. It was very empty. Maybe I should go hunting, so I could forget about Gingerheart for a while. Casting an angry glare at Spiderfur for making my lover leave, I flicked my tail and left through the camp entrance.

Looking up at the sky that broke through between the branches, I smiled. Maybe I would be able to forget _you-know-who_ for a while. But as I stopped to admire the clouds, all I could see was his face. His eyes, his fur, his smile...

Blinking madly, turned away. No, I would forget about him and his love for _one day_. I needed to concentrate on catching prey for my clan. I couldn't let them down! I clawed at the ground and looked around at the roots of the trees, searching for mice. Spotting one, I dropped into a crouch and pulled myself foreword, slowly. The mouse, nibbling at a nut, didn't notice me. _Good_, I thought. _Stay there, little mouse. Become the clan's next meal._ I was a couple of paw steps away before I leaped.

_Got you!_

Grabbing the mouse in my jaws, I bit down hard on its neck. It didn't even get to make a final squeak as I felt blood rush out between my teeth. Dropping the newly killed mouse to the ground, I licked my lips in satisfaction.

"I can do this," I meowed, proud of myself. "I can forget about Gingerheart." But the heartbeat I said his name, images of the handsome tomcat rushed through my mind. All I could see were his eyes, those gorgeous, pale blue eyes. I was in a trance, staring at _nothing_.

Dropping my head to the ground and covering it with my paws, I growled to myself. I just _couldn't_ get that tomcat out of my mind! Maybe seeing him, and knowing that he's fulfilling his promise to the clan might make _me_ want to help the clan more. I buried the mouse next to a pile of ferns and headed out to look for him.

Passing a group of rocks that served as one of the borders of our territory, I sniffed for any scent of my tomcat. I smelled him, and it smelled like he had been here earlier today. Looking back up at the sky, I noticed that it was almost _sunhigh!_

"How long have I been out here?" I asked, not believing that it was sunhigh already. That means that they're probably _halfway_ around the territory by now! Just my luck...

Finding the direction that they were going in, I sprinted that way for a while until my paws wouldn't move any more. Collapsing to the ground, I breathed heavily until I could sit normally again. Looking around, I spotted a patch of orange. _Gingerheart!_

Adrenaline and love surging through my paws, I sprang up and rushed over to meet him. My heart pounded with hope at the thought of seeing him.

"Gingerheart, I-" I skidded to a stop, steps away from a patch of bright orange flowers. A frown crossed my face, and I glared at those flowers. If looks could kill, they'd all be dead by now. Then I turned and stalked away, my ears down and my tail flickering back and forth.

"Smart one, Featherpool," I growled at myself. "Now I'm _seeing_ things? StarClan, I'm going _crazy_ just wanting to see Gingerheart!"

I sighed and continued on the way that I was going, walking this time instead of sprinting. I've been told I'm a fast walker by many cats in my clan, but I don't know if I believe them. Sure, when I walk other cats seem to trail behind, but I'm not _that_ fast of a walker... right?

"Maybe... I can..." I muttered, looking around. A small rabbit was sniffing at some flowers, and I froze in place immediately. That rabbit would be good for the queen, Treeflight. She was going to have her kits any day now. I crouched down, my training flashing through my mind as I leaped for the bunny. Claws meeting fur, I bowled it over before snapping its neck.

"Victory!" I mewed like a new apprentice, purring.

Treeflight would _love_ this! Treeflight would love... love... I love... love... Gingerheart. He got back in my mind! No! Grabbing at the rabbit in my jaws, I took in a deep breath of rabbit smell. Thinking of Treeflight, I headed back to where I had left my mouse and grabbed it too. Then I made my way back to camp.

Dropping the mouse at the pile, I brought the rabbit over to where Treeflight was laying in the bushes. She looked up at me with sleepy eyes.

"Hey there Treeflight, how do you feel?" I asked, dropping the rabbit at my paws.

"Tired," Treeflight yawned.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, smiling and nudging the rabbit towards her. I could see tiredness thick in her eyes, with hunger matching it step for step.

Treeflight nodded, meowing her thanks before I left. Now that I've fed the clan, or at least brought back some prey, I can go look for Gingerheart. The patrol is probably almost done, and I want to steal him away before Spiderfur wants him to do something else. I raced out into the forest, feeling the breeze in my fur.

The sunlight was amazing, and it felt so good! But I couldn't stop to bathe in the sunlight. No, not yet. I would have to bring Gingerheart first. Spotting a thick barked oak tree, I launched myself at it with my claws unsheathed. Digging into the bark of the tree, I pulled myself onto the branch above my head. And then the next branch, and then the next branch.

Making my way to the top of the tree, or at least as high as I wanted to go, I looked out across the forest floor to see if Gingerheart was there. Nope, I didn't see him. So, I steadily padded along to the end of the branch and jumped to the branch in the tree next to the one I was in. Steadying myself as I landed on the shaky branch, I continued in the trees for a little farther down. I had to find him. I just had to find Gingerheart.

Something in my mind kept telling me that. _Find Gingerheart. Find Gingerheart. Don't stop until you find Gingerheart._ I kept leaping from tree to tree, my eyes searching the forest floor. No sign of the ginger pelt of his. Oh, his ginger pelt! I wouldn't stop until I found it.

_Find Gingerheart._ The words pounded through my head. I couldn't hear the birds in the trees anymore. It was like the beat of my heart now. _Find Gingerheart. Find Gingerheart._ Beat, beat. I couldn't escape it. I couldn't break free from it. _Find Gingerheart. Find Gingerheart._ Beat, beat.

Letting out a fearsome yowl, I jumped off of that branch and onto one lower than the one that I was on. I had to escape. I couldn't take it anymore. _Find Gingerheart. Gingerheart. Find Gingerheart._ I yowled again, leaping out of the tree, running blindly ahead. _Find Gingerheart. _No! Stop! _Find Gingerheart! Gingerheart!_

"Stop it!" I screeched, leaping over a fallen log. "Stop!"

_Find Gingerheart!_ My mind yowled at me. _Find Gingerheart!_

I couldn't take it anymore. Suddenly, I didn't feel the ground beneath my paws anymore. No, there was nothing. Nothing but air. My eyes shot open as I felt myself falling through the air. _No!_ I couldn't die, I just _couldn't!_

Splashing against the water, the breath was knocked from my chest. _Find... Gingerheart..._ I gurgled a yowl as I was plunged underneath. _Find... Ginger... heart..._ And then there was silence.

My eyes sprung open, and I could see the water rushing around me. I could feel myself sinking towards the ground. I could see the light drifting away from me. _No..._ I kicked my legs, but I didn't go anywhere.

Suddenly, a flame colored shape burst through the water and swam towards me. _Gin... ger... heart..._ I blinked, but my vision was fading. I couldn't breath. I couldn't move. All I could do was think until it was all over. I felt something grab my scruff and start dragging me towards the surface.

_Gingerheart._

When we broke through the surface of the river, I gasped for air. My lungs burned, and Gingerheart was coughing as he dragged me towards the shore. My pelt burned with shame of falling into the river and almost dying. If I had died... That would've hurt Gingerheart so much. I couldn't make him go through all that pain. It would look like I died on purpose.

_Gingerheart._

"T-thanks," I sputtered once we were on shore. I choked up some water before falling to the ground and laying there for a while. Gingerheart plopped down beside me, pressing his wet pelt against my wet pelt.

"Never... do that... again," Gingerheart choked, spitting water out of his mouth. A slight purr rumbled from his throat as he looked over to me.

My eyes met his, and I just _had_ to purr. His pale blue eyes looked like the sky had melted into his eyes and decided that his eyes looked better than the whole _sky!_ Okay, weird thought. But I found myself transfixed just _looking_ at him.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, snuggling against his side. "I didn't try to. I... I was..." I sighed. How do I tell him that I was going _insane_ wanting to see him? He would surely leave me, thinking that I'm mad! And I couldn't lose him. I just couldn't.

Looking back over to him, I saw a lifetime of love floating around those orbs. I wanted to just melt, right here, right now. He didn't hate me, and he would understand.

"I was trying to find you," I answered. "I wanted to see you, and I know that Spiderfur only sent you off on a separate patrol because he was jealous of us. He likes me, but there's no _way_ that I would ever like him... in the same way that... I like you." I wanted to ramble on forever. "I love you so much, Gingerheart."

Gingerheart's eyes softened, and a smile spread across his face. "I love you too, Featherpool. I couldn't imagine life without you, so when I saw you dive into the river, I was so worried..." His voice cracked. "That you _wanted_... to... die."

I shook my head. "Never," I vowed. "I could never leave you, Gingerheart. My heart and my mind both agree on this one." He smiled, and I smiled. It didn't have to be anything more than this right now. We both cared for each other, and that was all that mattered right now.

I laughed. "Love is a _serious_ mental disease."

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**Poor Featherpool! She went crazy. Review?**


End file.
